Harlequin
by Sierra1
Summary: When danger strikes, help may be found in the most unlikely places.


Harlequin  
By Sierra  
  
Celeste sat in an old armchair in the tower; a crackling fire emitting sparks and beams of red and orange light across the old wooden floor. She and Hermione had established this as their hidden annex, as they were the only ones who knew of the location and the means to get in. Even Harry and his map couldn't quite detect their position, probably because he never bothered to look, or perhaps he just respected their privacy. The small tower room was circular, with one window covered by heavy crimson drapes. Two plush armchairs sat around the old fireplace, one occupied by Celeste, the other empty. The scratched wooden floor worked its way around, covered by an ancient Oriental rug. Worn patches of rug insulated the old cracked walls and flickering candles sat perched on the empty bookcase in the corner. All in all, the room had a mysterious quality. She curled her feet underneath of her, all the while staring at the box laid out of the old rug in front of her.  
  
At first glance, there wasn't anything unusual about it. A simple cherry wood box, with deep undertones of red and green that sparkled in the dim light. A gilt serpent battled with a second on the hinged lid. In the wavering light, the snakes seemed to weave and unweave each other in a continuous battle. It was a long rectangular box, worn along the edges and lined with deep blue velvet. An extravagant box, perhaps valuable, but nothing distressing. Celeste sighed and checked her watch; Hermione would be there at any moment.  
  
The trap door creaked open on old hinges, distracting her from her reverie. Hermione's head popped up as she pulled herself into the room and flung the creaky door shut again. Plopping down in the unoccupied chair, she focused her attentions on the box on the floor.  
  
"What's the emergency? Seemed important. And what's that?" she inquired, pointing at the box.  
  
Celeste gestured to the box in question. "Seems someone decided to spread a little Christmas cheer. What I want to know, is where it came from, and why."  
  
"Well…. maybe we should open it. That would help, don't you think?" Hermione replied with a wry smile.  
  
"You think?" she replied sarcastically. Lifting back the lid, she removed the crushed velvet layer that covered its contents. What she lifted out made Hermione gasp.  
  
"It's beautiful! Where'd you get it?" she breathed.   
  
"That's what I want to know. I don't know who gave it to me. And it's driving me insane!" she replied exasperately. She held it up to examine, the light bouncing off its porcelain surfaces.   
  
'It' was a medium sized porcelain doll. Not any usual doll that could be found in any store. It had the appearance of a teenage boy, with a wig of curly black hair, so black it shimmered with blue highlights. The clothes were odd, a doublet of crimson and verdant diamond patches made of silk. It wore simple breeches of black silk and leather boots. The dress was so old-fashioned, it almost seemed to have been from the same time period as the founders themselves.   
  
"Look at its face. Isn't it eerie? It kind of gives me the creeps," Celeste replied, shuddering. Indeed, its face was absorbing. The skin was porcelain, pure white and flawless. He had an arrogant smile, like Draco's, a sneer. But the deep midnight blue eyes were thoughtful, far away, and almost frightened. They were so glassy and personified, they almost seemed real.  
  
"That's strange. It's almost like it's alive, or…..something.." Hermione said, groping for the word that neither of them could come up with.  
  
"Exactly. I got it for Christmas, but I can't for the life of me figure out who. My father barely ever gives presents, only money. And my mother's dead, it can't be her. I don't have any other relatives, and none of my friends would ever give anything like this to me. Besides, look at this" she pulled out a small medallion from underneath the doublet. Printed in gold script were tiny letters.  
  
A/N: Ok, here's the deal. I wrote this in a fit of inspiration. It's just an excerpt from a fic I had an idea for, not the beginning and certainly not the end. What I need to know is if I should continue it or not. That's where you come in! Just review and tell me yes or no. That's all! If I don't get enough of a response, I won't continue. I decided that the sequel I had started was going nowhere fast, so I put it away to work on if I ever had nothing better to do. Then this came up. So..it's up to you!  
  
Brownie points to anyone who can tell me the name of the book where the idea came from!  
  
Claimer/Disclaimer: as always, all references to Hogwarts and it's characters belong to the phenomenal J. K. Rowling. I do own Celeste Malfoy, and the doll in question. You can sue all you want, but you won't get anything except my p.o.s. computer and a lot of spiral writing notebooks. And $1.43 in change, so I wouldn't bother! 


End file.
